


The Dinner Party

by Red_Hair_Dont_Care



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: F/M, kind fluff but not really, not much else really, strange people who work for Gabriel
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-17
Updated: 2018-10-28
Packaged: 2019-07-13 10:26:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,477
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16015985
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Red_Hair_Dont_Care/pseuds/Red_Hair_Dont_Care
Summary: After a reveal with four of the team members, Gabriel finds a way to get them all in the same room. Because a dinner party is always the answer. Yeah, so... Adrien, poor, sweet Adrien, is left out of the loop, so he goes and follows his friends. What happens next? Well, who am I to say, but it seems like the group might be a little too ready to share their secret.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Yes, this is the story I told y'all was based on a friend's dream. Because she doesn't have an AO3 account, I'm putting her name here. Miss Miraculous, if you're reading this, I thank you for allowing me to write this and to gift me with your dreams, which I turn into stories. You can find her on Miraculous Amino under Miss Miraculous. She has a lot of inside scoops too.

It had only been two years since Marinette and Adrien had gotten their Miraculous. Now, a few days before Freshman year of high school, Alya, Marinette, Nino, and Chloé stood on a rooftop, waiting for the final member of their team. "Chat, if you're in town, we could really use you right now. We're on Notre Dame if you decide to visit." Ladybug hung up for what must have been the tenth time that night.

"Well?" Queen Bee was beginning to get impatient. She hadn't expected some big party, of course, but she  **did** expect every member of the Miraculous team to show up. "We can't just keep delaying this. Either he's here, or he's not."

Rena Rouge didn't make a habit of agreeing with the striped heroine, but today seemed to be an exception for quite a bit.

"Queenie and Foxy here have a point, Spotty. We've been trying to meet up all summer, but now that's gone, and we're all going into high school. We're going to need to become stronger as a team. If we don't finally figure out who Hawk Moth is and stop him soon, we're going to go mad."

Giving in to her teammates, Ladybug sighed.

"Fine. Let's just get this over with."

At first, she hadn't agreed to do this. She still didn't, but her friends did make pretty good points.

"I'll go first. Tikki, spots off."

The moment the newer holders had been waiting for had arrived. The group took a collective gasp as they heard words they never thought would be uttered in their presence. Ladybug disappeared and - in a flash of bright pink light that left the group momentarily blinded - in her place stood...

"Marinette?"


	2. Dinner Anybody?

The trio gawked at their friend as she flushed. “S-so… who’s next?” The stammer almost wasn’t there. The other two didn’t notice it, but Alya knew her better than anyone. Even Chat Noir. “I’ll go.” She winked at her best friend as she released Trixx’s transformation, which was quickly followed by the release of Pollen and Wayzz’s transformation. “Wait, so we’re all in the same classes,  **and** we’re partners, but nobody knew? Dudes, that’s crazy.” 

The girls couldn’t have said it better themselves. “Wow. Now, all we need is Adrien to be Chat Noir, and we’d be all set.” Chloé had moved on, but that didn’t mean she didn’t still care for the blond she’d grown up with. 

“Yeah, that would be cool. Where is Chat, anyway? M, do you know?” Alya addressed her best friend gently, knowing she hadn’t really wanted to do the reveal at all. Shaking her head, Marinette Dupain-Cheng met their gaze at last. “No.” The single word was the only indication that she gave, but the threesome instantly knew something was bothering her. “Dude, what’s wrong?” Out of the three, Chloé knew Marinette the longest, but Nino had been with them the whole time too, and he paid attention, so he sensed something amiss before anyone else did. 

“I-it’s just… where could he have gone? Chat Noir has been gone all summer, and I'm worried." The three other heroes shot each other cautious glances. They knew a Miraculous holder could be akumatized, so they desperately tried to comfort her. "It's okay, Marinette. I'm sure he just... went traveling or something. Don't think about it too much." 

That seemed to cheer her up, but she didn't speak the rest of the night.

Not a day after the reveal, the group meets up again on Notre Dame.

"Any word from the feline?" Queen Bee questioned. 

"No, not yet. Hey, did you guys get invites from Gabriel?" Ladybug didn't have to say his last name for the friends to know she was talking about Adrien's father. "Yeah. Don't you think it's a little suspicious? Adrien's father sending invites to us via our civilian forms a day after our reveal? And don't forget that he doesn't really care for any of us. Except for Chloé, of course." 

The blogger made her point crystal clear. Gabriel Agreste, world-famous fashion designer, was a suspect for Hawk Moth.

Again.

"It is a little strange, but surely we can't suspect him again. Remember the last time I thought there was a possibility?" Ladybug didn't have to say anymore.

Everyone had been informed of Collector, and who he was.

"Right, but what if he took off the brooch? Maybe then he could akumatize himself?"

"Or maybe he had Nathalie do it?" 

Speculations go around for some time, but the group always came to the same conclusion.

"Gabriel Agreste is definitely Hawk Moth. Which means he likely knows who we are. Guys, I think we have to crash that party."

Nino Lahifee had never been more accurate in his life. "Well, Greenie, that means we have exactly a week to get ready. We need a plan, and we need it fast. Remember, we cannot talk about this at school unless absolutely necessary. Now, what ideas do we have?"

The group talked for a few more minutes before realizing it was almost midnight. "Well, I guess we'll have to meet up earlier tomorrow. 6 o'clock work for you?"

Alya shook her head, an apologetic look crossing her face. "I can't make it till 7. My family's having some special dinner." 

Marinette nodded her head in understanding. "That's okay. We can fill you in if that works for everyone else."

With a quick check of schedules, Chloé and Nino smiled. "We'll be there."

With waves of goodbye, the group went their separate directions.

** Next day **

"Okay, guys. We have seven days to come up with a plan, and it has to be flawless. Otherwise, Gabriel might get what he wants. We all know that could be catastrophic. Oh gosh, where's Chat when we need him?"

Ladybug tried to call her partner again, but for the twentieth time in two weeks, she reached voicemail. "Chat Noir, you freaking brat, you better show up soon. I swear, if you don't show up before the big night this Saturday, I'm going to track you down and find out why you're not coming. Then I'm going to drag you here and-" Nino placed a calming hand on her shoulder, urging her to relax as he took her yo-yo. "Dude, you're seriously freaking LB out over here. Would you please just show up already?"

Closing the yo-yo, Nino handed it back to Marinette. "Relax. He'll show up. Eventually. In the meantime, we need a plan."

** At the Agreste household **

Adrien Agreste had just returned from North America, where he had spent all summer at his father's request, and collapsed on his bed. "Kid, you should go see if your team is out. I think you need to get out more. You were cooped up all summer, and it's seriously affecting your mood. I mean, you barely fed me camembert."

Rolling his eyes, Adrien looked at his Kwami. "Plagg, I fed you four times a day. I'd say that's plenty. Besides, I doubt they're out. They're probably getting ready for high school tomorrow, just like me. Just like the rest of the Freshman class."

The floating cat shook his head at the boy who he'd become endeared to. "Don't you think  _your Lady_ will be worried about you? She hasn't seen or heard from you since school got out last year!"

"Plagg, just let me sleep. It's already 9 o'clock. School starts tomorrow, and I don't want to be sleep-deprived."

** At school the next day **

"Adrien! Where were you?" His four friends enveloped him in a big group hug. "Hey, guys. Sorry. My father sent me away to the United States of America to study business because  **apparently** there wasn't a place worthy of me here in Paris. Or even France."

Hearing Marinette giggle meant the world to him, and the blond almost let it show.

"But hey, I can make up for it. Smoothies after school, on me?"

Adrien knew Nino and Alya would never turn down free anything, so it surprised him when they shook their heads. "Sorry, dude. We have a date tonight."

He turns to Marinette and Chloé, who also shook their heads. "Daddy wants me to learn about running the hotel tonight."

"I promised my parents I'd help them in the bakery this afternoon. Sorry, Adrien."

What was happening? All of a sudden, his friends had no free time, and it seemed to be because of mature events.

"Well, what about Tuesday?" Another round of shaking heads.

"Sorry, bro. The principal apparently heard about us and wanted to meet us. No idea why though."

It hurt to lie to his best friend, but Marinette had been very clear. Nobody was to know about the plan. Not even the person it revolved around.

"What about after the meeting on Tuesday? Maybe Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday?"

Again, heads shook. "Sorry, Adrien. Chloé, Alya, and I are sleeping over those days."

The blond was beyond confused. Since when did Marinette and Alya have three-day sleepovers with the girl who tormented them all of last year? And since when did Chloé say yes?

"Dude, I'd come, but my family wants me around more."

Adrien was almost mad. Almost. 

But he wasn't.

After all. These were his friends. They had previously planned schedules. He couldn't just drop in after summer ended and expect them to have completely free days for him.

"What about the morning before the dinner party?"

Adrien couldn't tell why, but it seemed to him like his friends suddenly became very stiff. And very, very nervous.

"We have plans!" Alya didn't know what else to say. "Sorry. We already scheduled to go get a fitting for outfits Marinette offered to make for us."

At least that much was true. And the sleepover. That was all the truth spoken, though.

Marinette had offered to make Chloé and Alya dresses that they could kick in if the need arose. As for Nino's suit, she'd had that set aside since the invitations came. She had instantly gone home and worked on it until she couldn't stay up anymore. Sunday had also been devoted to the suit, and designs for their dresses.

"Sorry, Adrien. We're booked this week, but maybe next week?" Before Adrien could reply to Chloé, the bell rang. "Okay. I guess we should get to class, huh?"

He didn't look it, but inside, Adrien was hurt. And curious.

 ~~~~** After school **

Adrien watched his friends go their separate ways, but what he saw astonished him. Alya and Chloé got in the limousine to the hotel. Nino and Marinette walked over to the bakery. "Okay. So maybe Alya and Nino are going to get ready for their date?" 

But the model knew that couldn't be right. Chloé and Marinette both said they had plans, so what could possibly be happening?

"Plagg, I think it's time that we make a patrol. Claws out!" 

Chat Noir bounded away from the school and - instead of doing what he had promised - pounced away to Marinette's house. 

Sure enough, Nino and Marinette were in her room. Nino had on a navy blue suit that complimented him perfectly. On the left side of his chest, there was a red and yellow bubble overlapping. With black dress shoes and his hair slicked back, Nino Lahiffe looked more ready for the dinner party on Saturday than for a date with Alya.

Marinette and Nino were oblivious to their visitor, but he was right. Marinette was making the finishing touches to Nino's outfit for the dinner party; making sure he could fight, and that Wayzz had a place to sit in case they needed him in an instant.

Bounding away to Chloé's room, Chat couldn't keep his mind from racing. Why would Nino be trying on a suit when he was supposed to be on a date with Alya?

Arriving on the balcony of the aforementioned blonde, Chat crept up to the window, watching as Chloé and Alya practiced what looked to be etiquette. 

"If we don't want to stand out to Gabriel, we have to have good etiquette. Meaning, we have to learn everything before patrol tonight."

Now, Adrien couldn't hear what she said, but he figured it wouldn't be of much interest, so he lept up to the roof and called an old friend. 3

"You’ve reached Ladybug. I'm not transformed right now, but if you'd like to leave a message, press the appropriate number. If you're Rena Rouge, press 1. Carapace, press 2. Queen Bee, press 3. Civilian, press 4. If you're a mangy alley cat, press pound."

So he hit pound.

"If this is a mistake, please press 1. If you're Chat Noir, and you indeed left your teammates all alone this summer, press 2."

He followed her recorded instructions.

"Chat Noir. You freaking alley cat, where were you?! You left us all alone to fight Hawk Moth's villains, which have been growing progressively stronger! They're becoming more and more violent, and we almost lost our new members. And where were you?! Probably in the USA or somewhere safe from me. Anyway, leave your message, and maybe I won't track you down."  _Beep!_

"Well, that's an interesting voicemail, Milady. I was just calling to let you know that I was, in fact, sent to America. I apologize for giving you a hard time, but I hope that I can make it up. Get back to me as soon as possible."

Hanging up, Chat Noir pounced to their meeting spot, only to find it deserted.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whatchu think about The Dinner Party? Good so far? This is likely going to be a long one like Double Dipping, although maybe not quite so long. Anyway, it's getting late here, so Imma sign off now.


	3. A Matter of Dresses and Etiquette

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anything that is bolded and has the strikethrough is my notes during the story. Things I would be saying if I were to read it out loud as opposed to the characters. Basically be on the lookout for things that are bolded and struckthrough. That's what I'm thinking.

** Still Monday **

Marinette and Nino left the bakery shortly after the details on the DJ's suit were made. "We need to jot down any ideas we may have so that we can choose one soon. And we need to figure out what Gabriel's planning." Nino wasn't used to giving orders, but Marinette was a mess, and one of them had to take charge. After all, the other two girls hadn't shown up yet.

"Woah, LB. Hold on a second." Nino grabbed her arm, which was about to throw her yo-yo again. "What, Shelly?" Nino Lahiffe tried to be open-minded around people he barely knew, but Chat Noir had a reputation.

Ladybug had been talking ill of him ever since he left, and while Nino knew she was overreacting a little, she'd had a point. It wasn't fair of him to just leave without any warning - that was Adrien's job. Besides, he knew Marinette would practically bite Chat's head off if she saw him patiently pacing on the roof of Notre Dame, a few buildings over.

He pushed them out of the feline's line of sight, and behind a post. When her shoulders rested on the stone, she became wary.

"Carapace, what are you-" He clamped a hand over her mouth.

"Ladybug, you have to listen to me. Don't. Talk."

.

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After returning to Earth, Ladybug gave Carapace a confused look but nodded her head. Not a few seconds later, Chat Noir extended his baton and leaped(?) away. Nino didn't know what to call it, but whatever it was, he was obviously out of practice, as he stumbled a few times.

Finally, Chat was out of sight, so Carapace slowly let his hand off the bluenette's mouth. "What was all that about?" 

Marinette was furious, confused, worried, but mostly, she was frantic. What could've possibly scared the DJ so much? "Nino," she hissed, "What the heck was so terrible that you wouldn't let me see?"

The turtle-themed hero mimed Chat Noir, which Marinette instantly understood. 

"Oh. Good call." 

Finally, Nino and Marinette bounded over to Notre Dame and began to wait for Chloé and Alya. A few awkward minutes later, Marinette called the blonde to come to the meeting. "You can work on etiquette Friday. Right now, we have to focus on our plan."

Just two minutes after she hung up, Marinette and Nino were joined by the final two members of the group. They talked for hours. Until it was 11 o'clock, in fact. "Okay, so Alya comes with me tomorrow, and Nino goes with Chloé, right?" The bluenette wanted to be absolutely sure that the week-long plan was being carried through, because, - in her mind - if it were to fail, the entire Saturday plan might fail, and they might lose the only direct access to Hawk Moth they'd have for a while. 

"Yep. That's what we planned on," Nino agreed. "Great! Meet up after school then!" Alya called to her friends as she pounced to her parent's apartment.

** Tuesday **

The foursome were anxiously waiting for the end of the school day, and it showed. At least, it did to Adrien - for OncE. 

"Guys, what's up with you this week? You seem way more, uh... hyperactive than usual. What's going on?" Adrien failed to mention that he'd practically stalked his friends the previous day - ~~**ahem Marinette**~~. "Sorry, I guess we're just excited for Saturday."

The blond may not be the brightest bulb, but he wasn't stupid either. Which is why it slipped from his mouth.

"Is that why Alya and Nino missed their date yesterday?" The group suddenly - according to Adrien, the poor child - decided it would be a good time to choke on air. "W-what? We d-didn't m-miss our date, it was later in the day. A-and how did you figure?" 

It was Adrien's turn to choke, but he was saved by the second-to-last bell of the day. "Oh! Let's get to class, yeah?" And he dashed off.

** After school **

"Okay, guys, we gotta move fast. If Adrien saw us yesterday, that means he might be onto us. We'll see you guys at 6." 

Chloé practically drug Nino to their transportation as Alya raced Marinette to the bakery.

Which all just-so-happened to go completely noticed by a certain fifth-wheel that was suddenly feeling excluded. 

Left out.

Alone.

But mostly, he was curious.

And hungry.

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"Plagg, what could they possibly be up to? There is  **no** way that Chloé drug Nino away just because." Of course, being Plagg, he didn't reply.

"Are... are they preparing for Saturday? But then why the secrecy? I could help them. No, that's not it. Some plan to surprise somebody? Probably not. Marinette doesn't seem like the best secret keeper if I'm being honest." 

As he was continuing to ramble, - ~~**wonder where he got that from *shoots accusing glare at Marinette***~~ \- Plagg hit his little head against the wall.  _Marinette not being a good secret keeper? Why, why, **why** does Adrien have to be so oblivious?_

"Adrien, your father's here. He wants to talk to you."

Plagg raced for cover.

Adrien quickly shut up.

Nathalie opened the door.

And in walked the businessman who called himself a father.

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Over at Marinette's house, Alya was slipping into a deep purple dress. The only strap going around the neck, easy to move in, and - of course - the Lady Wifi symbol, the dress was perfect for Alya. Except...

"Do I have to wear heels?"

Silence followed the question for a second before the person it was directed at began to laugh. 

"Alya, you really think I would make you wear heels? Besides, everyone knows you can't walk in those."

Gesturing to the white tennis shoes abandoned on the floor, Marinette stepped aside as dress and friend rushed past her. "Well, what do you think now?" 

As the brunette stood up, finally comfortable, she practically oozed relaxation. "Much better. I actually really love the dress, Marinette. How did you know?" Giggling, said designer moved around her friend, - who now stood on a small stool - fixing small details, and making sure Trixx's pocket was out of sight. "Seriously, Marinette, how did you hide the pocket?" Not acknowledging the question, Marinette continued her work until she was completely satisfied.

"Marinette... Girl! Marinette, what's up with you today?" Sighing, the bluenette set down her sewing things and sat on her chaise, a few feet away. "I-It's just... I know we're not telling Adrien for his own good, especially if Gabriel is Hawk Moth, but..."

Trailing off only made Alya more anxious to know what was on her friend's mind.

"Marinette, c'mon girl. You know you can tell me."

As she nodded her head, the girl mustered the courage to continue.

"Well, I know that we're lying to protect him, but it still feels wrong to lie to Adrien."

The blogger knew exactly how she felt, and she expressed it as she gently sat down next to Marinette.

"So what do you want to do about it?"

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Chloé was getting a little impatient. Nino simply couldn't figure out that saying "sir" and "ma'am" was of the utmost importance, but was more commonly used for the middle-aged and older. "Nino, 'Master' and 'Miss' is what we use for teens and young adults, remember?"

She was trying her hardest to not lose her temper, but it was getting harder and harder.

"Let's try this again." With a deep sigh, the two got back to work.

** At patrol **

"Guys, we only have a few minutes before we have to go, and three ideas on record. What are we going to do?"

Nino wasn't used to Chloé taking charge, but she seemed truly passionate about defeating Hawk Moth.

"How about this. I'll go home, work on it some more, and by tomorrow's patrol, I'll have a few more ideas and some logical ways to carry each of them out."

As the girls nodded, they each got a call from the hotel. "Oh. That'll be Daddy. He'll be expecting us in a few minutes. Bye Nino." 

The three left, and Carapace stood alone for a minute before he left for home.

Cue him on Google Docs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lol I don't know why, but I find Nino using Google Docs a little amusing. I practically live there, because that's where I write most of my stories before putting them here. I guess I just never thought about making one of my characters addicted to it too.


	4. Technicalities

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How long has it been since I uploaded a chapter to this story? Like, September, wasn't it? Either way, here's a new chapter for y'all. I also uploaded a chapter to A Freak Accident yesterday, if you haven't already checked that out. Enjoy this story, I likely won't upload for a while.

**Wednesday**

For the first time since anybody could remember, not only did Marinette get to school early, but she arrived with Chloe Bourgeois, and Nino arrived alone. Every person the foursome passed had stopped and stared at the unusual group. They couldn’t quite figure out why - after years of going after one another - the bluenette and the blonde were suddenly inseparable. Everybody figured Nino and Alya kinda just followed Marinette’s lead, and Adrien always had a soft spot for her, but there was one thing that confused them above all. 

Why Chloe was being a saint to Marinette.

Adrien Agreste was the only person who wasn’t 100% shocked. But that didn’t mean he was expecting it. Several times, the blond tried to ask his friends why they were acting so weird all of a sudden, but he was always interrupted. The first time, by the bell. The second, by a screaming fan. The third, fourth, and fifth by dozens of screaming fans. The sixth by a fire drill. The seventh… well, the seventh reason was still a work in progress. Suffice it to say, an akuma had shown up.

“I am The Narrator, -  ~~**hey, Hawk Moth makes bad names too** ~~ \- and from now on, you will follow my storyline!” Students were screaming, kissing someone, or laying down. Adrien couldn’t find a place to transform, as somebody was bound to notice and follow him. “Hey, Romeo! Where’s your Juliet gone?” A blinding yellow light flashed, and Adrien found himself made entirely of wood. “Pinocchio? You couldn’t have done anything better?” The girl laughed, striding up to the blond confidently. “What, you want to be the cricket instead and get trampled by students?” Shaking his head, the boy sat down about as fast as a piece of wood could. 

“While we wait for the heroes, why don’t we play twenty questions? How much wood could a woodchuck chuck, if a woodchuck could chuck wood?” Ladybug quickly caught his eyes, and he continued to give riddles, kinda-sorta helping his teammates - who were none the wiser - until the akuma was cleansed. “Bye-bye, little butterfly.” As she threw her lucky charm in the air, the bluenette glanced over at the blond, glad to see he was a normal boy again. “Thank you, Ladybug. That’s what, the third time now?” She laughed quickly before zipping across the schoolyard. “Bug out!”

Finally, school ended for the day, and before Adrien could get the chance to question his friends’ weird behavior, they went their separate ways  **(Wayzz)** . Chloé running with Marinette, - the running a stranger sight than her going with the bluenette - and Nora driving Alya and Nino away - not so strange a sight. “Guys, meet up at 5 tonight. I have last-minute outfit changes that I can’t afford to make Friday or Saturday. See you then!” Dashing off, the bluenette made sure that Chloé followed her to the bakery.

“Nora, how fast can you get us home?” 

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As soon as Marinette reached her room, she pulled out a black dress that complemented Chloé perfectly, complete with a sweetheart neckline and red spots. “What kind of shoes do you have to offer?” The bluenette chuckled, completely expecting - and prepared - for that question. “I was thinking matching red stilettos. You’re probably the most capable in those, anyway.” The blonde nodded, knowing what her friend was talking about.

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Alya and Nino were getting ready to sit down at her computer when Nora butted into the room. “What are you two doing?” As they exchanged a nervous glance, Alya made up the best lie she could. “Nora, Nino and I are working on a class project.” The big sister wasn’t buying it, and she showed it by walking into the room and stared down at the computer. “One about defeating Hawk Moth?”

Rubbing the back of his neck subconsciously, Nino stood up next to his girlfriend. “Um… Anansi…” She glared at him. “I thought I said to call me Nora.” He gulped, nodding nervously. “Sorry. Nora, the project that we were assigned was to make a plan for Ladybug, Carapace, Rena Rouge, Queen Bee, and Chat Noir if they ever found Hawk Moth in his civilian form.” The tall woman scoffed. “Mr. Whiskers hasn’t shown up in months, DJ. Why should he start now? You two go ahead and do your little task, but keep in mind that he likely won’t be coming back.” As Nora left, Alya stared at her boyfriend, a mixture of pride and fear on her face. “She’s right, you know. Chat hasn’t come to a single patrol or helped with an akuma attack since July 6th. Maybe he turned in his Miraculous to Master Fu or something.” 

Nino laughed under his breath. “Or something.” The brunette glared at him, clearly hearing what he said. “What was that?” “It’s something, alright. Let’s get to work, we only have… an hour?!” 

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At promptly 5 o’clock that evening, the group met on Notre Dame once more. This time, however, they were oblivious to the extra party spying on them. “What in the name of Plagg are they talking about?” Chat Noir put in an earpiece and carefully listened to their conversation, hoping it would catch bits and pieces. “...Gabriel’s dinner Saturday…” That meant they were going to be there, right? Likely not in hero form, but that meant his father either knew them in civilian form, or who they were as civilians. “Nino, you’ll have to talk to him, convince him…” Chat had had his suspicions, but now it had been confirmed for him that Carapace was none other than his best friend. 

“Chloé, you’ll have to distract Adrien while Nino talks to Gabriel, convincing him to throw a  _ real _ party for his son.” Well, that wasn’t right. Surely the group wasn’t attending the dinner party  _ just _ to get Adrien a birthday party. This meant, though, that the other two girls were friends of Adrien’s, but he couldn’t figure out who. Alix as Rena Rouge? Yeah, that sounded right. And Kagami, being Ladybug? The whole “Frozer incident” would make sense.  ***facepalm***

The hero listening in wasn’t aware of it, but Rena Rouge had long since left, noticing Chat Noir and taking pity on him. She tapped his shoulder, and he whipped around, only to find the brunette smirking. “Hey, Kitty. Long time, no see. Where have you been? We missed you.” She knew that Ladybug, Queen Bee, and Carapace were all secretly listening through  **_their_ ** earpieces, but the guilty need not know such important information. “Hey, Foxy.” That got Nino a little fired up, but he knew it was a friendly nickname he’d come up with a while ago and calmed himself. “I was in America. Didn’t Ladybug get my message?”

The entire group facepalmed, and the poor boy was so confused. “What?” Then, Alya began to laugh. “What did I say?” When she finally calmed down, she answered slowly, like he was a 3-year-old, which he figured he deserved. “You were gone… for three months, Chat. She was worried about you, and she hates you for it.” The bluenette knew that was harsh, but it was the truth. She was furious that he had just picked up and left - no warning, no goodbye, he was just gone. “I-I’m sorry. My father-” Rena cut him off by pushing a finger to his lips. “Hush now, Kitty. I don’t wanna hear it, Ladybug does.” 

Chat Noir began to turn around, but she grabbed his shoulders and shook her head, both in denial of his stupidity and trying to keep down her laughter. “You just don’t get it, do you? Do I need to spell it out?” She drawled her words out slower than before, and it annoyed Adrien to pieces. “She… doesn’t… want to see you... She’s mad… give her some time to get o...ver it, and then may...be she’ll forgive you… Got it?” He nodded, but in all honesty, he didn’t understand a word she said. “Okay, but I gave her three, almost four months. Wasn’t that enough?” Alya shook her head, not believing that someone could be so stupid and oblivious. “No, Chat. you just don’t get it, do you? You confess your love for her, then run off to America all summer. The akumas were getting more and more violent, people were dying, and where were you? Relaxing on some beach along a coastline, I bet. I don’t care what you have to say, and neither does anybody else on this team. You abandoned us, and until we defeat Hawk Moth, Ladybug is not going to want anything to do with you. So I suggest you run. NOW.” 

She called on her power, and a timer set for 30 seconds appeared next to her. “Ladybug’s coming for you, and I’m giving you a headstart on her. Take it.” He dashed off, and as soon as he was gone, she hopped back to the group. “Okay, now where were we?”

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A few hours later, Marinette made her way back home with Chloé and Alya, - something that Tom and Sabine had gotten quite used to as of late - and Nino got a taxi back to his house, where he wrote ideas down in a notebook.

“Okay, girls. We have three days until the dinner party, and we have a lot to do. We have to solidify a plan and practice etiquette, and I have to do the finishing touches on the outfits. Would you two mind working on the plan while I sew?” Chloé and Alya nod solemnly as they let their blue-haired friend get to work. “We need a thank you present for Marinette, but what do we get her?” As they continued to talk in hushed tones, the designer whips out her sewing needle. 

She started on Alya’s dress, adding a layer of reflective purple vinyl to the WiFi symbol, making it so that the curved lines caught the light perfectly, but not so much that it blinded people staring at it. Moving on to Nino’s suit, she added a layer of fabric on the inside of the right cuff on his sleeve, so that the Turtle Miraculous could easily slip inside, hiding it from view. By the time she started on Chloé’s dress, the other two girls had contacted Nino about their idea for Marinette. 

The bluenette had already talked to her friends about the changes she was planning to make to their outfits, and they had fully supported her, so she wasn’t nervous or scared when she added clear glitter fabric to the bright red spots on the blonde’s dress. “Marinette, when are we going to see your dress?” The question caused the aforementioned girl to whip her head around. “Friday.” With that, she turned back to her work and found her notebook. The outfit she had chosen for herself was a little more complicated, and would, therefore, take more time. The sketch showed a black empire-waisted dress with a pleated skirt, decorated with simple purple spots that would eventually shimmer in the light.

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Just before he went to sleep, Nino transferred all of his ideas to Google Docs and sent an affirmative response to Alya and Chloé’s idea for Marinette’s present.


End file.
